Whiteparish Parish Council

PARISH COUNCIL NOTES
From the meeting held 22nd July 2004 in the Village Hall

Matters Arising from last meeting
Seat at top of Clay Street - has now been patched and sealed. Floral tubs for the village - Tubs are now in place with sponsorship signs attached. Members were very pleased with the effect and much appreciation is expressed to Courtens Garden Centre, Jewson Builders Merchants and Lascar Electronics for their support. Courtens have offered to re-plant the tubs for the winter; this offer warmly accepted. Levelling and re-seeding of football ground - All work now complete and the Football Club are very pleased with the result. The final invoice to be settled, less 10% of Football Foundation grant retained until their representative checks the work. VAT payable on refurbishments to the Village Hall - letter received from HM Customs & Excise confirming their view that it would not be possible for the Parish Council to reclaim this VAT. An appeal to be made about this decision and further enquiries to be made. Properties subject to an agricultural tie condition of occupancy - a letter received from SDC Planning Enforcement unit that a Compliance Officer has recently been appointed to the Enforcement Team. One of his ongoing tasks is to compile a record of dwellings subject to such conditions in Salisbury District. This is in order that such conditions can be monitored in future and, if expedient, that enforcement action is taken before it is too late. It may be some time before this work is complete. Disposal of yellow pages - Colin Bray reported that he had been misinformed and that SDC would not pick up yellow pages from local residents for waste paper recycling. There is a new skip available at the Churchfields Household Waste Recycling centre in Salisbury. District Councillor Richard Britton will look into whether it is possible for yellow pages to be collected by SDC. Alterations at Brickworth Junction - Atkins have noted that the Parish Council still has concerns that the slip road from the Salisbury direction is dangerously narrow. They are continuing to monitor the accident record at this location but to date it does not rank as a site which would justify any significant expenditure. In response to a Parish Council query, they state that a formal survey was not carried out after the works were completed. The Parish Council had complained that the signal heads for traffic at the A36 Brickworth Junction are not clearly visible for traffic approaching from the A27 direction. A reply received from the Highways Agency that a survey had confirmed that the signal heads are in the right position but that visibility of the secondary head could be improved by moving it around on the existing pole to redirect it towards oncoming vehicles. This adjustment will be carried out.

Finance
The Parish Council accounts for the year ended 31st March 2004 were approved, together with the Statement of Assurance required by the external auditors. The internal auditor's suggestion that a more frequent internal audit would be useful was discussed but the Parish Council decided this was not necessary.

Planning
It was noted that BKG at their Common Road depot are yet again breaching their Section 106 agreement by parking vehicles overnight in the access road/track. This to be reported once again to SDC Planning Enforcement Dept.

Environment
Notification received that Whiteparish has yet again won the Best Kept Village in the large village category of the Salisbury District competition. Well done everyone! The floral tubs and baskets outside the shop must have contributed to this victory. Colin Bray reported that weeds were growing on the edges of the highway in Green Close and Highlands Way; this to be reported. Some garden shrubs also overhang the footways; residents are reminded that it is their responsibility to keep footways/pavements clear. New Forest National Park boundary has now been designated - it includes Whiteparish Common. A letter to be sent to DEFRA and copied to MP Robert Key objecting to the disregard for local opinion.

Speeding/road safety
A complaint received that speeding traffic is a danger, particularly to horse riders, in Miles Lane. A request to be made for horse warning signs at each end of the lane and in Dean Lane. A letter received from WCC about Whiteparish's requests for extensions to the speed limits on Dean Lane and at the Cowesfield end of the village - these will be assessed against the appropriate guidelines issued by the Government and a programme of speed limits will be developed for consideration by the Regulatory Committee in 2005.

Next Meeting
Villagers are very welcome to attend the next meeting which will be held at 7.30 pm on Thursday, 2nd September, 2004 in the Village Hall where they will be able to speak at the discretion of the Chairman. Please contact the Clerk or any councillor if you can't attend and wish to raise any village matter.

Anita Boakes, Parish Clerk, Tel. 884646
E-mail DandA.Boakes@care4free.net
Website www.whiteparish.org.uk

CLARENCE for reporting road and lighting defects
0800 23 23 23

POLICE Alderbury station 01722 710208 E-mail: alan.day@wiltshire.police.uk

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